The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-12
THE WORK OF TIE FLOOD.
WIDESPREAD DESTRUCTION OF
TIE RICE CROPS.

4
That Can Only be Reached by Boat
The Enbankme nts Badly Broken
and the Ruin Still Going on But
Little Hope Of Saving ANY Of the
Crop.
III doctors disagree, VINO shall decidef
This may be applied in the case Of the rice
cap and the present flood The planters
well know the existence of a big freShet but
they don't know what it. effect will be on
the rice and no two agree on the subject.
With the idea in view OF learning the fun
extent Of the food a MORNING News re-
porter thoroughly explored the sub
merged country in boat yesterday and
every portion was visited and the exact
state of the food noted Leaving here at
6:45 yesterday morning, on the Charleston
and Savannah railroad, a half hours pleas
ant ride took the reporter 10 Monteith. Here
he was met by Mr.. James 3. Hayward, of the
Gowrie plantation, on Argyle Island, who
had 80 kindly extended the invitation for
MORNING News representative to accom-
many him on his rounds over the water
covered plantations. A two miles ride
through the sweet-scented pine woods and
the starting point of the expedition was
reached.
THE TOPOGRAPHY or THE COUNTRY.
At Drake Bluff, on Front river, boat
was awaiting and the explorers stepped
aboard Drake Bluff is situated just oppo-
site the head Of Onslow Island. on the GeOr
gia side. There are practically three chan
Iels here. called the Front. Middle and Back
rivers respectively. The last named flows be
tween Argyle Island and the Carolina shore,
the middle branch is formed by Argyle
Island on the east and Onslow and lsla
islands zone above the other, and the front
by these islands aId the Georgia shore. just
above the bluff a long penlnsula-shaped
piece OF land formerly projected into the
stream. but some thirty years ago Capt
Tucker. whom all Savannahians remember,
cut a small channel across Il for his fat
boat The rapid current soon wore away
the banks, and to-day there is raging
stream through which steamboats, can pass.
On Onsl0w Island, on the southern part, the
Potter estate has $50 acres Of rice planted,
all of which is under water.
Plat BOAT IN THE TREES
At 1880 o'clock Capt Hayward called "All
aboard, and the journey began. Passing
through the newly formed channel across
the neck of land spoken of, the boat was soon
being rOwed over to Isla island, The new
channel had current like a nIill-race, and
the muscular negro Oarsmen had all they
-
bushes that fringed the island the tops
alone showing above the water, one of the
practical evidences of the flood was seen in
a big fiat boat belonging to Mr.. Van Wink
Ter which was high up on top of the young
trees. The scene presented was Ger
tainly unique, though dismal. In front
was a sea of boiling, whistling, dashing,
turbid liquid, all too suggestive Of its terri
BILE destructiveness. Acres and acres OF the
muddy colored water met the gaze on every
side and for miles up the island nothing
could be seen save the waving tops of the
bushes and reeds growing on the division
entertainments. An oar thrust down re-
vealed the fact that six feet and half of
that liquid was between the boat and terra
hrma.
A MULTITUDE OF BUGS.
On this island there are about 800 acres of
tillable land. OF this Messrs Paul Kellar
and Van K. Winkler had planted 400 acres,
of which not one single stalk can be seen.
As the boat progressed very little drift
wood was noticed. The bushes and tall
reeds were completely covered with grass
hoppers and bugs of all kinds, sizes. colors
and descriptions The oncoming waters
among the rice stalks and they took TO
climbing, the fortunate bugs securing the
highest bush, and consequently "a longer
lease Of existence. Their voracity was seen
in the les1ess stalks Of the coffee plant, and
in fact all the flags and bushes on which
they were looked il hail storm had
struck them Commenting on them and
their work the captain said it was a sorry
choice left for the planters If the water
covered the rice wholly up it would destroy
the heads and perhaps the roots of the
plant. II the water left the top
of the rice heads exposed the sun
would scald them or the bugs would eat
(tt,Ix Hob
remarked he land | wish they were like
the famed Kilkenny cats, and would de-
your themselves"
TOTALLY SUBMERGED
Proceeding diagonally across Isla Island
Argyle Island was soon reached, though
judging from the amount of water about,
IL was a long way from any land. Argyle
Island has some 2, 500 acres Of good rice lands.
Commencing at the northern end is Red
Knoll, Mitchell King; there are 400 acres i'll
the plantation, Of which 300 only are planted.
Next comes Ricedale and Gowrie, James B.
Hayward manager, of go acres, 600 being
planted Then follow the Potter plantation,
$50 acres, ali planted, and the Gibbons
place. 600 acres 800 being planted OF all
these vast fields Of rice not single stalk
can be seen, the water varying from Az TO
8 feet in depth in the fields. Could a more
striking illustration of the destruction of
this food be gvenl Where Monday morn
ing were hundreds of acres of fine, flourish
ing rice there is now one vast sheet of
muddy water, churned into foam by the
action Of its own swift current.
LAKE DwELLER's SETTLEMENT.
Passing over field after field Mr.. Hey
wards settlement was finally reached The
settlement consisted of six houses for the
hands. his residence, the mill, barns, etc. q,
all built on six-fOot pillars of wood or brick
The six cabins frOnted this field and the
water had risen to within an inch of the
door sills of most of the houses aud in one
was flooding the floor to the depth of about
two inches. The children in one house were
fishing from the windows, in another boat
was tied to the door knob and several
pickaninies were romping in it, half naked !;
iu another "a big rope was attached to the
door sill aud several boys and
girls were IN swimming shouting and sport
inc In qgreat glee, while "A half grown
pig stood in the door, gazing at the group
as il it were half inclined TO plunge ill., 4
little further on u motherly old hen was ON
the step pecking viciously at the little min
nows that swarmed around in the water at
her feet Rowing past, the Captain jokmgly
called out to one of the women who crowded
TO the door 10 see the strangers, "Well,
Auntie, where do you get your water now
for cookhgf
~ goes 10 depump, Marster, she answer
cd, showing a row of cleaning worries, while
4 .aA VI I A.